title: Did the Olympics need more drugs? a doctor's reflection on providing medical care during Op OLYMPICS.
abstract: This paper examines some of the medical problems arising from the successful deployment of Defence Medical Services personnel to Op OLYMPICS (mid-June 2012-September 2012). It does not aim to be all encompassing in its scope, but focuses on the most pressing issues affecting a junior military doctor's ability to work effectively under field conditions. This will entail a discussion about whether in a deployment such as Op OLYMPICS medical care should be based upon offering solely primary healthcare in medical centres or using Role 1 medical treatment facilities, which include primary healthcare and pre-hospital emergency care. The main recommendations arising from the deployment are: clinicians should deploy with a minimum of basic emergency drugs and equipment; a medical facility treating a large population at risk for a prolonged period should have a broad stock of medications available on site; and medical risk assessments must be performed on all Reservists during mobilisation.
authors.affiliation: Military Registrar, RCDM, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monteiro de Barros
authors.affiliation: Army Health Unit, FASC, Camberley, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013177:Sports; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Education & Training (see Medical Education & Training); General Medicine (see Internal Medicine)